As I try to unbury myself from the avalanche of fabric deliveries over the last month, I figured I could share some of the thoughts that I get while far from any writing media. First off, I feel like a kid at Christmas whenever I open each box. You would think that after years of Amazon deliveries I would be past the thrill of opening brown boxes, but I’m not. I love getting packages delivered and getting to open them even when I already know what’s inside.
The best part of unpackaging is that moment when my fingers touch the fabric. I wish I had a wider vocabulary to explain and describe the tactile sensations because every fabric is unique. Even the same base fabric with different colorways is different based on the amount of dye in the material. You can feel the difference between the darker colors and the lighter colors. I’m not saying it’s greatly different, in fact most of the time, it’s subtle.
Most of the fabrics are sourced based on color cards with fabric samples attached or headers. The only real surprises so far have been the scale of some of the prints because that doesn’t translate perfectly from a 4” by 4” swatch. Most importantly, I’ve been trying to pick fabrics that make sense for garment projects.
As a consumer, my eye is easily swayed by charming prints, which I then struggle to find a spot for in my wardrobe. The reality is, I wear mostly solids. That means, in choosing fabric, start with the end in mind. I’m not saying you need an exact pattern ready to go, but you should have an idea of what you are going to do with a particular fabric and it should be a use that plays to the fabric’s strengths.
I’m going to give you an example. When this organic cotton lawn came in, my daughter loved the print. I get it, it’s beautiful. Then she said, “I think it would look great as a jacket.” Sweet summer child, the amount of work required to add enough structure to that lawn to make it into a jacket will never be worth it. Can it be done? Absolutely, but is it worth it? In my mind, nope.
Next, don’t be afraid to choose good quality fabrics even for everyday basics. Yes, that means a little more upfront cost, but having fabric not pill on the first wear is nice. Having it still look good after a season of wear is even better. I’m a big fan of cost per wear so items that hold up are cheaper over time than the ones made from lower quality inputs.
Figure out what kind of fiber content you like wearing regularly and make it a key part of your sewing. Don’t feel pressured to conform to what other people say you should have in your wardrobe. I know people tout natural fibers but if your lifestyle is more suited to easy care synthetics, embrace it and vice versa. The sheer breadth of great fabrics out there means you shouldn’t compromise on qualities that are important to you.
Everyone has different reasons for sewing garments but make sure you are honoring yours when you choose your fabric.